The all-electric version of the 2017 Honda Clarity started arriving in dealerships in the past few weeks. The full-size sedan, which is only available in California and Oregon, leases for $269 a month for 36 months with $1,999 due at signing. The all-electric Clarity can travel 89 miles on a single charge. That puts Honda in the unfortunate position of introducing an EV with a driving range significantly lower than the new generation of electric cars.

Aptera, the California startup known for developing the space age, three-wheeled electric 2e, has closed its doors after failing to raise the necessary funds to put its ultra-efficient electric vehicle into production.

Aptera says it needs more money in order to set up a manufacturing process capable of producing at volume—which makes all the difference in the world when it comes to getting prices down to a point that could make a vehicle competitive. The new funding could come from a large, surprise investment from a private source, but most likely the startup will have to rely on the federal government to approve a $180 million loan request.

After a contentious "boardroom showdown" saw him ousted from the company he helped start, Aptera co-founder Chris Anthony seems to have found some success in his latest enterprise, Epic Boats, which manufactures electric drive recreational vehicles out of a facility in Vivian, La.

Germany's Sud-Chemie AG has announced that it will infuse its Canadian Phostech Lithium subsidiary with $78 million in cash to build a new plant in Quebec. The funding will help make the company the world's largest producer of lithium iron phosphate, which is one of several varieties of lithium that can be used as a cathode material in lithium ion batteries.

It takes great courage and vision to develop a vehicle as innovative as the Aptera 2e. The innovative design immediately earned a devoted following when it launched in 2007. Thousands of potential customers put money on the line in the form of $500 deposits. But three years later, it appears that the vehicle still needs fundamental work regarding handling, weight distribution and safety.

CEO Paul Wilbur has made claims in a recent newsletter that the company plans to "get this right the first time." But trying to perfect the Aptera before putting it into the market might not be the best aproach, according to Darryl Siry, formerly of Tesla Motors.

Aptera, which had planned to deliver its three-wheeled electric car to customers last month, has now postponed the production launch for almost a year. Production models of the Aptera 2e (formerly known as Type-1), an all-electric vehicle with a range of 100 miles, were to have been delivered by the end of 2008. The company now expects to launch volume production in October 2009.